INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Members of Missouri HOSA participated in HOSA’s 48th Annual International Leadership Conference (ILC), on June 18-21, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.
HOSA-Future Health Professionals is the largest international organization for middle school, high school, and postsecondary/collegiate students with an interest in the health professions. Over 14,320 health science students, advisors, government and private sector leaders, judges, family, and guests gathered at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center to compete, learn, network, and celebrate HOSA’s 48th Annual ILC with members from across the United States, Canada, American Samoa, Korea, China, Vietnam and beyond. Delegates took advantage of four exciting general sessions, seven recognition receptions, an exhilarating keynote speaker, 158 educational symposiums, and over 170 exhibits from companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations!
Keynote Speaker
Allison Massari, a near-fatal car fire survivor and renowned artist, delivered the keynote address at the two opening sessions of HOSA’s 48th ILC. With her insightful view inside the patient experience, Allison’s riveting and informed keynote illuminated the immense value that healthcare professionals have on a patient who is suffering. Allison highlighted the integral nature of person-centered care, explaining, “The power of what you do goes far beyond the technical part of your job. You are healing the places medicine cannot touch.” Audience members were revitalized, with applicable tools for managing change, adversity, and the everyday challenges of being human.
Eight (8) Missouri HOSA members received Missouri HOSA’s International Leadership Conference (ILC) Scholarship, totaling $500.00 each. This scholarship was sponsored by the 2025 SLC Sponsors and was granted to first-place competitive event winners or Gold Level National Recognition winners at the Missouri HOSA State Leadership Conference through an application process. The recipients included Fatima Abosalem from Mary Institute and Country Day School, Mattison Darnell from Dallas County Technical Center, Sree Gogineni from Frontier Middle School, Jesselin Sudhan from Frontier Middle School, Sashasra Talasu from Frontier Middle School, Bryar Varner from Dallas County Technical Center, Mikayla Woods from Visitation Academy, and Vedh Yelamanchili from Frontier Middle School.
Missouri HOSA ILC Scholarship
Missouri HOSA Award Winners & Recognition Recipients
Approximately 12,900 student members competed in one of HOSA’s 92 health-related competitive and recognition events. These competitors won at their local, regional, state, and country competitions to earn their spot at HOSA’s 2025 ILC! A total of 408 participants from 54 Missouri HOSA chapters competed in seventy-eight (78) competitive and seven (7) recognition events. Twenty (20) individuals and twelve (12) teams placed in the top 10, along with an additional 102 individuals and chapters being recognized for their service and leadership.
Three chapters were recognized for securing donors for the America’s Blood Centers and HOSA Blood Drive Recognition. Chapters are recognized for the number of donors secured throughout the 2024-2025 school year in three categories: Gold (250+ Donors); Silver (151-249 Donors); and Bronze (65-150 Donors).This event is designed to allow HOSA chapters to connect with local blood centers and learn how to conduct a successful blood drive in their community. The United States is currently experiencing a blood supply shortage. Pre-COVID, many blood banks received 15% - 20% of their yearly volume from high school-organized blood drives. This percentage has dramatically fallen the last few years. HOSA-Future Health Professionals can make an extraordinary impact in states and communities to aid in ABC and HOSA Blood Drives and positively address the national blood supply shortage.
Two individuals and two chapters were recognized for the total cumulative hours the member/chapter spent on American Red Cross Volunteer Recognition. This event aims to inspire members to engage with the American Red Cross (ARC), to become lifelong advocates of the Red Cross, and to recognize both chapters and individual HOSA members for their participation in American Red Cross activities.
Fifty-one (51) individuals were recognized for completion of community service hours throughout the 2024-2025 school year in three categories: Gold (250+ Approved Hours); Silver (175.0-249.9 Approved Hours); and Bronze (100.0-174.9 Approved Hours). The Barbara James Service Award is in memory of Barbara James, 1982-1983 HOSA Inc. Board Chairman. Her leadership skills and contributions to HOSA exemplify the caring and compassion of HOSA members. This award seeks to recognize individual HOSA members who have a commitment to community service in health.
The Emotional Well-Being Challenge has been developed in conjunction with SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) to engage HOSA chapters and members in learning how essential good mental health—emotional, psychological, and social well-being—is to overall health and to introduce them to the concepts of mental health promotion and substance misuse prevention. Two teams received Top 70% Recognition, and one team placed in the Top 10 for their projects.
Sixteen (16) individuals received Silver Level Recognition for their completion of online modules and creating and giving a presentation on a health topic for the Health Literacy Ambassador Recognition Event. The Health Literacy Ambassador Recognition Event helps HOSA members enhance their health literacy skills and promotes the use of credible health information. By teaching members how to evaluate the accuracy of health information and by introducing them to MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine as a reliable source, the event equips them to combat misinformation effectively.
Avalyn Long from Lafayette High School in St. Louis received recognition for being in the Mastery Level on the Health Care Issues Exam. This written test measures knowledge and understanding at the recall, application or analysis levels. References are listed in the guidelines in preparation of the exam and include health care-related articles from CBS News Healthwatch, NBC News, CNN, and Medline Plus.
The HOSA Service Project involves the sponsorship of a national health organization, currently NMDP (formerly Be The Match), by local HOSA chapters. This encourages HOSA members to provide community service through the adoption of goals and implementation of strategies related to the support of a national health organization. Seven (7) chapters were recognized at the HOSA International Leadership Conference.
Outstanding HOSA Leader
Also, recognized at the HOSA International Leadership Conference was Wyatt McDonald from Rolla Technical Center, who served as the 2024-2025 Missouri HOSA President-Elect and now serves as Missouri HOSA’s State President. Wyatt was honored for his commitment to HOSA through outstanding leadership in his state association and was named Missouri’s Outstanding Leader.
2025-2026 HOSA Theme
Next year's theme is Champions of Change as we celebrate HOSA's 50th Anniversary.